Things to do in Salt Lake City in the Summer

After spending a week in San Diego visiting friends before they moved in the early summer, I booked my trip to visit them in their new home of Salt Lake City for the end of the season. I had nearly two weeks in the state of Utah. The first part was spent in SLC with a long holiday weekend spent in Moab.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the relatively conservative state, but SLC was a ton of fun. It was great to explore the city with Haley fresh together since they had literally just moved in. There were shockingly quite a few “progressive” places we found celebrating Black lives, LGBTQIA+, veganism, etc. and you could find an “artsy” culture vibe too.

It was a bit surreal to just see the mountains right there. And it’s so quick to get to them from the main city limits. What I wasn’t expecting was the variety of geography from area to area and how HOT it was in the summer. I can’t wait to go back in the fall for beautiful foliage (and less heat) for more hikes and a winter trip for snowy mountain views and perhaps an attempt at skiing.

Where to Eat

Vegan food at Zest kitchen
Brunch and pastries at The Rose Establishment
Delicious smoothies at Brass Smoothies
Full-filling healthy food at Pulp Lifestyle Kitchen
Mexican food (yes, you read that right) at Red Iguana

What to Do

Shop the hippest local shops at the 9th & 9th District
Explore the wonders of Utah at the Natural History Museum
Watch bison and view the Great Salt Lake at Antelope Island State Park (warning: it smells)
Unwind at the lush Liberty Park
Be a true local at the downtown farmers market
Check out the State Capitol building (the gift shop across the street is surprisingly legit too)
Relax with mountain views at Granite Park
Wander and ponder at the Red Butte Botanical Garden
Rock climb at Big Cottonwood Canyon
Appreciate local street art throughout the city
Attend festivals such as Oktoberfest or the Salt Lake Climbing Festival